The live export industry would certainly be tested if Indonesia enforced the 25pc breeding female rule.

Matt Brann

The live export industry says Indonesia's plan to import more productive female cattle this year remains an aspiration, not legislation.

Late last year, with a view to reduce the country's rising beef prices, Indonesia flagged a policy that 25 per cent of cattle imported from Australia must be productive females.

Speaking to reporters in December, Indonesia's director general of foreign trade, Bachrul Chairi, said "we plan to allow live cattle imports of 722,000 to 750,000 head, of which around 25 per cent have to be productive female cattle" in 2014.

But with thousands of cattle already exported to Indonesia this year, there's been no signs of such a rule.